


Forever

by frogs_of_war



Series: Soldiers, Knights, Wizards, and Kings [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Bandits & Outlaws, M/M, Mercenaries, Villiagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-18
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-16 05:16:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1333402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frogs_of_war/pseuds/frogs_of_war
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bazyli's guardian, the mayor, hired mercenaries to protect the town from bandits. But even they can't protect Bazyli from his own curiosity.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forever

**Author's Note:**

> Bazyli is pronounce like Bah ZEE LEE, Haakon like Hawkin.

A body hit the ground, but Bazyli didn't have time to see if it was one of the bandits or the mercenaries his town hired to save them—both sets of men wore dirty, worn tunics and leggings, and of course they were all strangers. He could only tell two mercenaries from the other eight: the captain, with his light brown beard, and the tall, blond, quiet one who was fighting anyone who came near him, friend of foe.

Bazyli knew Captain Donnell because he was the man who made the deal with the mayor. But he knew the other, the big, strong, beardless one, because Bazyli spend all last evening watching him.

When the town's people were sent away just before dawn, they went in two groups. Under the mayor's eye, Bazyli walk into the woods with the first group before begging to be allowed in the group that would go to the lake rather than the caves. They let him go—Bazyli always got his own way—and he hid in the woods until the second group was safely away. Then he snuck back into town.

Not that he wanted to be in danger, but he couldn't help himself. He had to see that man again—that man who was a head taller than the others in his group but instead of standing proud at his extra height, he scrunched his shoulders in and slouched, like his height made him uneasy, when really his height made him beautiful.

Whereas the other beardless mercenaries began their day with stubbly chin, this man's face was smooth. Bazyli longed to touch it. And his eyes which had looked pale blue by the light of dawn were now like ice as he grabbed the sword out of his opponent's hand and tossed it aside as if it were a twig.

Why did the bandits have to come so soon? If they would have waited a day or even a few hours, Bazyli would have found out the man's name. The bandits arrived before Bazyli could even take up his position in the smithy loft. He would have had a great view of the square and been well out of sight.

The mayor grabbed Bazyli's collar and pulled him around the back of the smithy—further from danger, but no closer to safety—the bandits could be anywhere. "Tell me, Captain," the mayor asked. "What is going on? You promised to keep my people safe."

Donnell bit his lip as he stared around the corner at the berserker. "I didn't expect the attack so soon. If we could have met in the woods or fields, then Haakon wouldn't have been a problem."

"But he is now."

The mayor's grip tightened on Bazyli's collar and he struggled for breath as his feet dangled off the ground.

"Don't take it out on the lad."

The mayor let go and Bazyli fell to his knees. "Sorry, my boy."

"Do this often?" Donnell gently examined Bazyli's neck. "I don't think it will bruise. But be careful for a while."

The mayor blushed and turned away.

Bazyli cleared his throat. "Sir, don't be angry. My ma wouldn't marry him even though I ain't got no pa. He has every right to hate me."

The mayor sputtered a protest while Donnell helped Bazyli to his feet. "He doesn't hate you, lad. Elsewise he wouldn't have pulled you to safety. He just forgets what his hands are doing when he's upset."

Bazyli squinted up at Donnell—everyone was up to Bazyli, even boys younger than he was. "How do you know? You've been here less than a day."

"Met men like him before. Worked with them. If he didn't love you, boy, he wouldn't have risked himself pulling you from the carnage."

"So," the mayor asked, being mayoral again, "How are we going to stop Haakon?"

"We aren't." Donnell shook his head. "You've got all your people out of town and my men know to stay well away from him when he's like this. He'll stop when there is no one left to kill."

"But," said the mayor. A man ran around the corner of the smithy, followed closely by Haakon.

Haakon grabbed the man's head and nearly ripped it off.

Bazyli froze in place as Haakon turned to the mayor, but Donnell lifted him from his feet and pulled him through Goodman Chwalimir's front door. "Hold still, lad."

"I can't. He's got my pa. I have to save him. He's the only family I've got." Bazyli struggled harder in the soldier's grip. "I got to save him. He took me in after my ma died."

The man's grip was firm. "I've lost enough friends to Haakon."

Bazyli stopped struggling. "Haakon doesn't mean to. He can't help it."

Donnell let go of Bazyli. "I know, lad, I know. He's saved my life many a time."

The mercenary rubbed his eyes and looked back out the door. Bazyli used the opportunity to sneak up the ladder and into the loft. Through the window, he saw his pa running with Haakon close behind. Bazyli climbed out the window and onto the roof.

His pa turned a corner and jumped a fence taller than he was. Haakon didn't bother. He reached his hand through a gap and when he couldn't get through, he tore the fence apart plank by plank.

Blood rushed through Bazyli's veins. He could hear Donnell yelling at him from the window, but he didn't turn.

He would save his father, the only person in the whole world who loved him.

Bazyli leaped the eight feet to the ground, dashed through the hole in the fence, swung around a corner and there they were.

Pa tripped and Haakon caught up with him. Bazyli put on a bust of speed as Haakon leaned over Pa and reached out his arms. Pa's feet scrambled on the ground, but he couldn't get purchase.

Bazyli didn't think. As Donnell screamed for him to stop, Bazyli threw himself onto Haakon's back and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Haakon, don't hurt my pa. Don't hurt him. I want you to stop. Please stop."

Tears streamed from his tightly closed eyes. He swallowed hard and clutched Haakon tighter as he felt the man stand up, but hands—big hands—clasped his arms so he didn't fall off Haakon's back.

Donnell called out Haakon's name from close by and Bazyli felt himself turning. He opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of his pa sitting on the ground breathing hard before Haakon completed his turn and Bazyli saw Donnell, his mouth open.

"Sorry boss." Haakon's voice—not nearly as deep as one might suppose from a man so big— rumbled through Bazyli's torso. "I was lost in a great grey void—the way I get—and a voice called me back."

Donnell stared hard at Haakon before glancing at Bazyli. "Let the lad down. At least so his pa can see he's all right."

Haakon's body stiffened and his fingers tightened around Bazyli's arms, but then he relaxed and bent his knees until Bazyli's toes touched the dirt. When Haakon released his arms, Bazyli felt his sleeves stick to Haakon's fingers.

Pa grabbed him and held him tightly in the first real hug Bazyli received since his ma died. "My boy, my boy, I thought you were dead." Tears rained down Pa's face, but even though he was the mayor, he didn't wipe them away.

Donnell called for his men to clean up the mess. Bazyli wasn't allowed into the town square where most of the deaths happened. As if he hadn't watched the massacre himself. The mayor was mayoral even though the mercenaries weren't letting anyone back into town. When Bazyli was sent on errands, he wound his way though alleys and side streets to stay out of the forbidden square and in hopes of seeing Haakon.

He heard his father calling for him and ran into the courtyard. Pa asked Bazyli to get some papers from the mayor's office for Donnell to sign. Bazyli looked from his pa to the blonde mercenary. Haakon sat against the smithy door, his head in his hands. He was still covered in blood, even all this time later. "Pa, Haakon needs a bath. Can he use our tub?"

Donnell raised his eyebrows. "You're not scared of him? Everyone's scared of him."

"No," Bazyli shook his head. "He can't help himself, just like Pa."

Donnell turned to Pa with a glare. Pa looked at his feet. Bazyli smiled and glanced from one man to the other, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Go ahead, my boy," Pa said not looking at Donnell. "And don't bother about the papers; we will get them ourselves."

Bazyli raced over to Haakon, who didn't even raise his head. "Come on Haakon. Come with me. We're going to my house. You need a bath."

Haakon slowly looked up into Bazyli face, his own expressionless, but tense like he was waiting for a blow. Bazyli pulled on his arm, "Come with me."

Haakon shook his head and rubbed an ear. "You sure?"

Bazyli nodded and took Haakon's sticky hand in his. "I love you. I don't like it when you're dirty. Come on, come on."

Haakon smiled crookedly. "You love me?"

"Yes," Bazyli tugged harder on Haakon's arm. "I'd leave you here if I didn't care."

Haakon got to his feet without Bazyli's help, but he didn't let go of Bazyli's hand. They went to the mayor's house and Bazyli filled the tub with the water he boiled earlier in case it was needed for injuries. The man blushed pink when Bazyli told him to strip, so Bazyli went outside to ask if anyone had clean clothes for Haakon to wear. Donnell stopped talking to Pa when he spotted Bazyli. He sent someone for Haakon's pack and Bazyli back to the house.

Bazyli did as he was bid. Haakon was trying to clean his back. He'd wet his hair, but hadn't washed it and the water ran pink down his back.

"Let me." Bazyli took the soapy rag. He washed Haakon's back, and then soaped his hair, but Haakon made him turn away as he rinsed himself.

Bazyli set three towels beside the tub and went upstairs for a blanket for Haakon to wrap in—none of the towels were big enough to cover a body as big as his, although he was trying when Bazyli came down. Bazyli laughed and Haakon blushed, wrapping the blanket around his middle.

The blanket wasn't very big either, only covering him from his waist to just above his feet, but it wrapped around him three times.

Bazyli made him sit so he could dry his hair properly. The way the mayor always did after Bazyli got out of his bath. Then he stood back and looked him over. "You are very handsome, you know."

Haakon blushed again, ducking his head, and ran his fingers through his abundant blond hair. Bazyli's heart bubbled over; he'd never been so happy in his life. Or excited. Haakon was so fun to tease.

Donnell knocked then opened the door and Pa followed him into the kitchen. He passed Haakon his pack, much to Bazyli's disappointment, but Haakon made no move to get dressed. "Haakon, my lad, Bazyli's coming with us."

Bazyli turned to Haakon, but the man was looking at his bag, so he glanced at Pa, who was playing with his fingers like he always did when he heard something he doesn't like. "Captain, we need to talk about this."

"We already decided."

"That's before—before I saw this." He shrugged and nodded his head toward where Bazyli was standing by Haakon.

Donnell looked from Haakon to Bazyli then turned to Pa. "I don't see the problem."

"But…"

"Haakon's a big lad, but he can't be much older than yours, maybe even younger. Don't give it another thought."

"But…"

"We already talked this out. I'll take care of Bazyli and he'll take care of Haakon. Lord knows the lad deserves it. Now, let's go so he can get dressed."

The men left and Bazyli turned to Haakon. "Did you hear that? You'll be mine—now and forever."

He picked up Haakon's dirty clothes and dumped them in the lukewarm tub. He kept his back to Haakon while he listened to the bigger boy dress.

Later would come a time when Haakon's blush would be an invitation, when he would not be shy around Bazyli, when he would want to be seen, touched, held.

Bazyli could be patient. After all, Haakon would be his forever.


End file.
